Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-03-23
EARLY DAYS.
A Bit Of History Of Upper Mississippi
Traffic Years Ago--The diamond 10

ITamc cars aEu-- tuc DiuuiUhu 90
Packets.
The Diamond 10 company puts five
packets inithe through line between St.
Louis and St. Paul. whereby packet
touches this port. both ways, three times
a week. Next Saturday the Sidney starts
out for St. Louis, opening the season, to
be followed by others. The Josephine
has made one trip to Burlington, reaching
that port yesterday, and upon her return
comes through to Rock Island. On the
lower river the LiDbie Conger will be
placed, running between St. Louis and
Burlington and Keokuk, making trip to
each city twice every week.
The river trade at St. Paul thirty years
ago was something enormous. The Pho
neer Press says that in 1856 alone there
were no less than 1913 boat arrivals at
that port, of which 212 from St. Louis
were recorded. Steamers were running
on the Minnesota river at that time, and
216 were from that stream. Apropos Of
upper Mississippi history, file of Horace
Greeley's first newspaper. the New Yorker,
for the year 1888, contains these items:
Trade Of the Far West-We learn from
the Gulena Gllinois) Advertiser, that dur
ing the year 1887, seven hundred AID
seventeen steamboats, arrived at that port
Galena is between four and five hundred
miles above St. Louis, and has only been
settled twelve years.
From the Far West.-The steamboat
Gipsey. commanded by Captain Gray has
lately made atrip up the Rock river about
200 miles, to the mouth of Peketonica
The country is represented as being sur
passingly beautiful, the banks so elevated
as to be safe from high water, aud the
country rapidly filling up with an enter
prising population.
The Territory of Wisconsin, Is about
being divided-the portion west of the
Mississippi to take the name of IOna
We shall have two new states from this
quarter within two years,
Then there are these items from the
same file which are not river history, but
very interesting, because the navigable
rivers were the great mail routes in those
days.
In spite of repeated disappointments.
we still believe that the existing rates of
postage may be safely and proitably
i'll
that five cents for less than so miles, ten
cents up to 300, fifteen below 500 twens
ty up to 1000, and twenty five for all
greater distances will amply support the
service If il does not increase the reve-
nue.. Shall it not he tried? Now the
charge is 18} cents for letters hence to
Troy or Boston, when the cost is less
reduction
In this connection the following will
be of interest;
Nee York and Buffalo postage
on single letters between this city and
Buffalo, has. We learn, been reduced
from 25 cents 10 1Sf, subject to the de-
cision of the postmsster>general. it hsv-
ing been ascertained that the route via
Oswego, brings Buffalo within 400 miles
of New York
The Illinois and Michigan Canh is
now progressing" with great spirits
Many of the l4borers who struck at the
reduction of wages from $26 month
have returned to their work. Wages $40
per month.
And here is the beginning of that
mighty flow of breadstufis from the
West to the East
Something NeW-Some 200 barrels OF
-four have been shipped from Adrian,
Mich } to Troy. New YOrk-the first
time the staff of life has taken this back
ward route. The facilities of trsnspor
tation BY the railroad of Michigan, and
the abundant harvests In view give rea-
son to believe enough will be left for the
supply of the emigrants pouring into
that quarter, and who have heretofore,
like locusts, consumed all the eatsbles
Oh the route
Wheat Wheat ia now selling at White
Pigeon Prairie. Michigan. at SO cents pei
bushel. The crops are abun liant Al
LOckpOrt, n. Y, on the other hand, the
farmers are getting from 81 A to 81 81
per busheI,
In conversation with the oldest inhabi'
tant In Dubuque the Herald learns thai
the first steamboat built on the uppel
Mississippi and above Rock Island, if moi
above St. Louis, was the steamer j
Davies. She was built by Capt D. s.
Harris. still living at Galena, and hi.
brother, Scribe Harris, deceased, of Du
buque. The steamer was built at wha
is now known AS the ''eut of" below Ga,
lena, and bear where the Chicago, Bur.
lington Il Northern railway bridge SPAN
the Galena river. The Harris bTother
were among the earliest pioneers il
steamboating. They were masters Of
their profession. and as comm tnders,
pilots aud engineers had few equals
Capt. D. S. Harris still lives in Galenl
highly esteemed and respected by all